Rumors of an impending POGO ban by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. are making the rounds ahead of the latest State of the Nation Address (SONA) this Monday.
Philippines Offshore Gaming Operators, better known as POGOs, have dominated headlines in the country recently and thereby drawn a lot of attention towards the industry. The case of “POGO Mayor” Alice Guo has gripped the imagination of the public, and calls for President Marcos to take action have become louder.
Some groups and individuals, including a number of local politicians, have called for an outright ban, while others demand that at least all China-facing POGOs be shut down.
The reasons given range from the little economic benefit the companies apparently bring to the region, to their seemingly high levels of involvement in criminal activity and the claimed damage to the reputation of the Philippines as a safe country for tourists and business investors.
As a result, the industry is now in a period of uncertainty, and many individuals involved with it are looking towards Monday with increasingly nervous anticipation. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will be giving his latest SONA at the beginning of the week, and many now expect POGOs to feature in it.
The Chairman of the Philippines’ gaming regulator (PAGCOR), Alejandro Tengco, is on record as being against a total ban. He recently highlighted the monetary benefits legitimate gaming companies bring for the country and the financial results of his organisation seem to support his argument.
In the first half of 2024 alone, some PHP17.5 billion ($300.38 million) was brought in by PAGCOR from online operators, and this figure is estimated to increase to PHP42 billion ($720.92 million) for the full year.
While an outright ban of POGOs seems somewhat unlikely, we may see another reform or additional steps to clean up the sector being announced. This would strike a balance between addressing the illegal elements and maintaining the industry as a worthwhile part of the economy.
